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Through-panel connector

Through-panel connector description/claims

The present invention relates to a through-panel connector which is used in wiring an electric wire through a panel.

This kind of through-panel connector is disclosed in Patent document No. 1. This through-panel connector is provided, on its fixing side, with a female connector having a flexible arm and a latch and is attached to a mounting hole in a panel so as to allow be displaceable to the mounting hole. Again, the female connector is provided, in an insert-side brim part, with an insertion hole broadened at a slant, while a mating male connector is provided with a guide rod having a pointed tip. Further, electrical terminals are arranged in the insertion hole and the guide rod, respectively. The electrical terminal in the guide rod of the male connector is held by a spring part of the electrical terminal in the insertion hole of the female connector, effecting a connection between the terminals. Consequently, even if the connector on the fixing side is misaligned with the mating connector or both of the connectors have dimensional errors in manufacturing, the fitting of the connectors would be carried out in their normal positions, whereby it is possible to do away with defective contact between the terminals and damage thereon and also possible to improve spatial effectiveness of the connector body.

Patent document No. 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-139250

In the conventional through-panel connector, the female connector on the fixing side is fixed on the mounting hole by a claw at the tip end of the flexible arm and the latch 25. However, since there is no technique idea to hold the female connector at the center of the mounting hole, that conventional waterproof connector requires only to align the female connector with the male connector to be mated and does not have a function to hold the connector at the center of the mounting hole.

In the conventional through-panel connector, additionally, when mounting the female connector on the mounting hole, an insertion force gets larger as approaching a root part of the flexible arm. Consequently, a force required at an early stage of fitting gets large, causing the fitting workability to deteriorate.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a through-panel connector which is superior in fitting workability and which can be positioned at the center of the mounting hole.

In order to accomplish the above object, in an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a through-panel connector comprising: a first connector housing and a second connector housing which are disposed on one side and the other side of a panel respectively and fitted to each other through a mounting hole formed in the panel, wherein at least one of the first connector housing and the second connector housing has a plurality of flexible holding ribs formed on at least one of both outer peripheral surfaces of the first connector housing and the second connector housing opposed to an inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole, the holding ribs being formed so as to be extended from a base end part standing on the outer peripheral surface and extended along a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole and along the inserting direction into the mounting hole, the holding ribs making contact with the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole on condition that the at least one of the first connector housing and the second connector housing is mounted on the panel.

According to the aspect of the present invention, since the positioning of the connector is accomplished by inserting the connector into the mounting hole, the positioning to the panel can be simplified and the force required to insert the connector into the mounting hole can be generally equalized from beginning to end, whereby the fitting work can be simplified.

Further, the holding ribs may be formed on the outer peripheral surface at even intervals.

According to the above constitution, since respective biasing and holding forces to the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole are uniformed, the connector can be centered with respect to the mounting hole by inserting the connector thereinto. Thus, it is possible to accomplish the positioning of the connector to the panel more certainly.

Further, the holding ribs may be provided, on the sides of respective tips of the holding ribs, with engagement projections that are engaged with an opening edge of the mounting hole.

According to the above constitution, since both connector's positioning and assembling to the panel can be performed by a single action owing to the provision of the engagement projections for engagement with the opening edge of the mounting hole on the sides of respective tips of the holding ribs, it is possible to simplify the fitting work.

Still further, the engagement projections may be provided, on the sides of respective base end parts of the holding ribs, with biasing-force adjusting parts, such as slits.

According to the above constitution, owing to the provision of the biasing-force adjusting parts, such as slits, on the sides of respective base end parts of the holding ribs of the engagement projections, it is possible to make a force for mounting the connector on the panel equal to a force for positioning the connector.

Still further, the connector housing having the holding ribs may be provided, on its surface opposed to the panel, with a sealing part that is held between the surface opposed to the panel and the panel on condition that the engagement projections are engaged with the opening edge.

According to the above constitution, the sealing part arranged on the surface of the connector housing having the holding ribs, the surface being opposed to the panel, is held between the surface opposed to the panel and the panel on condition that the engagement projections are engaged with the opening edge. Consequently, it is possible to ensure a fastening span allowing the sealing part to exert sufficient water tightness stably.

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• Utility Patent

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